The Weekly Independent: November 21, 2016

Being a successful independent contractor or a client of choice isn’t just about doing the best work or having the best perks. It also means staying one step ahead of the curve. That’s why each week we bring you The Weekly Independent, a quick-hit digest of news of note from around the web.

Just who works in the “gig economy”? This question – discussed in the recent McKinsey report on independent work as well as MBO’s own research – is critical for determining issues such as workforce sizing and happiness. A new piece from Time’s “Money” section examines just who makes up the gig workforce – and offers suggestions for how those considering gig work can do so successfully.

If you’re a legal or procurement professional, you should make sure to view this past week’s webinar from SpendMatters, featuring our own Chief Operating Officer, Dave Cassar. He was joined by SpendMatters’ Andrew Karpie, where they spent a productive hour discussing real and actionable solutions for engaging today’s independent workforce.

2016 has certainly been a big year for the self-employed in the UK, and 2017 will continue to be equally newsworthy, particularly due to the fallout from Brexit, IR35 and the recent Uber ruling. News out of the UK has been particularly doom-and-gloom of late, including this recent piece from the Financial Times which suggests that independents suffer the “worst of both worlds,” namely, that they have neither the protections of a traditional employee nor the freedoms of being their own boss.